The Lucky Fans (LEE JUN HO'S FANFICTION // ENG VER)

04. Behind the Door

September 12th, 2023

As her departure to Korea drew near, Rhea could hardly believe that in just a few hours, she would be face-to-face with her idol. With autumn gracing Korea, she opted for attire that promised both comfort and warmth. Although she had never before experienced the crisp embrace of fall, the articles she had read hinted at a chill in the air during this season. So, she chose a classic white shirt layered with a cozy brown vest, paired with long jeans and a trusty pair of sneakers, ready to embrace the cool, new adventure awaiting her.

"Hi!" Rhea waved as she spotted Elisa and Tia waiting for her. Since they had arrived close to departure time, they headed straight through the gate as soon as Rhea joined them.

The flight from Jakarta to Seoul took about seven hours. They left Jakarta at half past midnight, and they estimated arriving at Incheon Airport around nine in the morning. During the flight, Rhea found little to occupy her time, her heart racing uncontrollably as she anticipated meeting Super Junior in person, right before her eyes, with no screen to come between them.

"Must be so nerve-wracking, huh?" Tia asked, sitting between Rhea and Elisa, while the newly graduated Hottest had already fallen soundly asleep with her Winnie the Pooh neck pillow.

Rhea nodded with a smile, her gaze returning to the nighttime scenery outside the window. She felt grateful for Elisa and Tia's kindness and was also relieved to know she wasn't the only lucky fan from Indonesia on this trip.

Seventeen minutes later, after seven hours...

At last, Rhea could breathe the same air as Super Junior. However, Tia urged Rhea and Elisa to hurry, as there would be a briefing from The Lucky Fans team before the filming began. The three of them quickly gathered their belongings, and Tia led Rhea and Elisa to a corner of the airport where a few others had already gathered.

Soon, a beautiful woman arrived in an exceptionally fashionable outfit. Rhea noticed that, on average, Koreans were masters at styling their clothes, even if they weren't celebrities or idols. From that moment on, Rhea was determined to learn from their impeccable sense of fashion.

"Annyeong haseyo, yeoreobun. Jeoneun Hyun Sang Hee imnida, bangapseumnida," the beautiful woman said with a bow and a warm smile.

Rhea and Elisa stood side by side with four other lucky fans—one from South Korea, one from Japan, and two from Canada. Since it was their first meeting, conversation was sparse. However, spending a whole month together might strengthen their bonds. After all, a month was a considerable time to forge new friendships.

"I will be your coordinator for the program. Feel free to ask any questions, as we'll be like a family for the next month," Sang Hee said. Her sweet smile and flawless skin made Rhea, who was also a woman, feel a pang of envy.

Sang Hee began to explain the details for filming the first episode. Yes, they would start shooting immediately after passing through the door she pointed out. "The members of Super Junior and 2PM will pick you up around ten or eleven o'clock, and this will mark the start of filming for the first episode. Don't worry, the first episode is just for introductions. So, try to stay calm," Sang Hee explained.

Sang Hee continued to outline what they would be doing for the first episode. The schedule was fairly straightforward: the members of Super Junior and 2PM would pick them up, followed by a dinner together. The first episode wasn't too packed since 2PM had just held their It's 2PM Concert two days earlier.

One of the staff handed Sang Hee a box containing six balls. They were asked to pick a ball in turn, and Rhea drew the ball with the number six on it. "You'll exit through that door in the order of the numbers you've drawn. So, let's work together and get ready," Sang Hee instructed.

"Kamsahamnida!" they all said in unison as Sang Hee bowed and disappeared behind the door. Rhea picked up the ball marked with the number six, which meant she would be the last to go out.

Taking a pouch from her suitcase, Rhea asked Tia for permission to go to the restroom. She needed to put on her contact lenses because, after all, her face would be displayed on the screen. Oh, of course, she had to look beautiful! Even though her face wasn't as pretty as the other lucky fans. In fact, one of them was even a model.

Rhea blinked after successfully putting in her right contact lens. She wiped away the tears that had trickled from her eyes and applied a bit of lip tint. Then, she took a pink bottle of perfume from her pouch and sprayed it on specific spots.

"Jeogiyo!"

Rhea glanced at one of the tightly closed stalls. Seeing that no one was there, Rhea decided to approach it.

"Jeogiyo! Sarami isseoyo?"

"Ne," Rhea answered in her still-improving Korean.

"Oh, is someone there? Sorry, do you have a tampon?" asked someone from inside.

"Yes, I do. Wait a moment." Rhea picked up her pouch lying on the sink, took something out, and handed it over the stall door to the woman inside.

"Gomawoyo. I don't know who you are, but if we meet again next time, I hope we can become good friends. Thanks again!"

Rhea smiled at that. She felt that Koreans were just as friendly as Indonesians. "Oh my God!" She hurried out of the restroom after glancing at the time on her watch.

While the others were getting ready, The Lucky Fans staff handed out sandwiches and Americanos for breakfast. "Tia, I can't drink coffee. Could I swap it for water?" Rhea asked Tia.

"Oh, just a moment." Tia grabbed Rhea's Americano and made her way toward the staff distributing the food. Fortunately, they had other beverages available, and the staff member who had been handing out the food approached Sang Hee and Hwang PD, casting a sidelong glance at Rhea. Soon after, Sang Hee came over to where Rhea was savoring her sandwich.

"Rhea-ssi, can't you drink coffee?" she asked.

"Ne. I'm not used to drinking coffee, and when I'm forced to, it upsets my stomach."

"Don't be so formal; just call me Eonni. I'm sure I'm much older than you," Sang Hee said with a laugh before picking up the interrupted conversation. "Anyway, thank you for the important information. We want to make sure you feel comfortable here." She gave Rhea's shoulder a friendly pat before heading back to her seat.

Soon after their preparations were complete, the staff began bustling about to find their positions. Tia announced that Super Junior and 2PM had arrived and that filming would start soon.

Hands Up by 2PM blared as Yoo Kyung Mi, the top Hottest from Korea, prepared for her turn. One by one, they entered until it was Rhea's turn. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. What she desperately wanted at that moment was to find a bathroom. It was her bad habit: when she was nervous, her stomach would churn, and the urge to go became overwhelming.